Some bays are described by sailors the world over like a password passed between them. The Bay of Les Saintes is one of them: a ring of translucent water enclosed by nine volcanic islets, Grand-Îlet, La Coche, Les Augustins, and their neighbours, set about ten kilometres south of Guadeloupe. Only two of the islands are inhabited, Terre-de-Haut and its quieter neighbour; the rest belong to pelicans, goats, and iguanas. Arriving at anchor, among moored sailboats and dry hills, is worth the early wake-up call on its own: few Caribbean ports of call make an entrance quite this polished. Pelicans dive in sharp arcs between the hulls, paying no mind to the shuttle of tenders.

A Harbour Steeped in History

In 1782, the Saintes Channel saw the French and British fleets clash in one of the largest naval battles in the Caribbean; Admiral de Grasse lost his flagship there, and the campaign turned. From that era, the archipelago still holds its military structures, including Fort Napoléon, which watches over the harbour from its hilltop. Today, the only fleets around are pleasure boats: the bay ranks among the most sought-after anchorages in the Caribbean, and tales of the battle are now told over a terrace table, coconut punch in hand. The cannons, for their part, have nothing left to guard but the regattas.

The Village and Its Saintoises

Tenders drop passengers right in the heart of the village of Terre-de-Haut, a row of white houses with red roofs, a legacy of the Breton and Norman fishing families who settled the archipelago in the 17th century. On the shore, saintoises, sleek, brightly coloured fishing boats, wait for their next outing; their sailing regattas remain the most hotly contested event of the year, with each family fiercely backing its own. Shops, ice cream parlours, and terraces line up over a few hundred metres, with no rush and no touts. Round a low wall, you might catch a fisherman mending his net, a gesture passed down for ten generations.

The Island Across the Water

A short ferry ride takes you in a few minutes to Terre-de-Bas, the archipelago's quieter sister. Here you can walk between the hamlet of Petites-Anses, the beach of Grande-Anse lined with sea grape trees, and the remains of an 18th-century pottery; marked trails link the two sides of the island through tropical scrubland dotted with candle cacti. It's also the birthplace of the salako, that bamboo-and-fabric hat once worn by fishermen, still crafted by a few skilled hands today. Those who make the crossing see Les Saintes as it was before tourism, and few of them do.

The Bay as a Playground

Kayaking right along the islets, snorkelling at the foot of Pain de Sucre, swimming in coves reachable only by water: the harbour lends itself to every kind of gentle boating. Îlet à Cabrit, right across from the landing, hides the ruins of Fort Joséphine and a few strips of sand where all you hear is the waves, the goats, and the wind in the logwood trees. Below the surface, corals, sea fans, and schools of sergeant majors swim just a few metres down. You come back with salt on your lips and photographs full of blue.

On departure, the islets slip past one by one behind the ship, and many travellers find themselves promising to come back one day by sailboat. That's the effect the Bay of Les Saintes has: it turns passengers into future sailors.

Practical Points

• Stop at anchor: tenders to the landing in the village of Terre-de-Haut.
• Inter-island ferry service: limited schedule, check the time of the last return trip.
• Currency: the euro; ATMs and shops concentrated in the village.
• Drier climate than neighbouring Guadeloupe: water, a hat, and sun protection are a must.